Learn how to close a ventricular septal defect through a catheter

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Tran Hong Nhat - Interventional Cardiologist - Cardiovascular Center - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

A ventricular septal defect, also known as a septal defect, is a birth defect. Patients with major defects will suffer severe consequences. Early closure of the ventricular septal defect provides good and long-lasting results.

In the heart, the right and left ventricles are the main heart chambers responsible for pumping blood, they are separated by a septum. Ventricular septal defect is the presence of one or more holes in the septum between these two ventricles and is a fairly common congenital heart disease, accounting for about 25% of congenital heart diseases.
Children with this malformation are often slow to grow, have some complications such as heart failure, pulmonary hypertension ... if not handled promptly. The technique of patching the ventricular septal defect through the catheter helps to repair the defect, directing the blood flow in the heart back to normal, and preventing possible complications.

Ventricular septal defect will not be dangerous if the patient is detected early and has timely treatment. The indication for treatment should be based on the following factors: lesion characteristics, hemodynamic impact and patient's condition
Currently, treatment of ventricular septal defect has 3 main measures:
● Internal therapy department
● Open heart surgery
● Intervention to close the ventricular septal defect through the catheter.
Medical treatments are applied to patients with complications (pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, ...) to help stabilize the pathology before surgery or for the purpose of supporting patients with late stages. when surgery is no longer indicated.
Closure of the ventricular septal defect by open heart surgery is a method of patching the hole through the chest opening, through which the surgeon will use a patch to patch the hole in the heart wall. With the improvement of surgical technique, the breast fat line is getting smaller and smaller, the surgery time as well as the post-operative treatment time has also been shortened.
Closure of the ventricular septal defect through the catheter is a treatment method with superior advantages compared to surgery. This method helps patients do not have to undergo an open surgery, leave no large scars, recover quickly, reduce costs and hospital stay. However, this method is only applicable to some patients with appropriate lesion characteristics.

The doctor who closes the ventricular septal defect through the catheter does not require an opening of the chest, instead inserts a small catheter through the blood vessel under the thigh toward the heart, then uses an instrument inserted into the heart through the catheter to seal vent.
Because it is a minimally invasive procedure, the patient only needs local anesthesia, only anesthesia with uncooperative patients. It usually takes about 45 minutes - 1 hour. After the procedure, the patient recovered quickly and only needed a short hospital stay for monitoring.
In some special cases, it is possible to combine intervention and surgery to carry out patching treatment (hybrid technique). This is almost like open-heart surgery: chest fat is required, but the incision is small and no cardiac arrest or use of a cardiopulmonary machine is required. Through the chest fat line, the doctor inserts the catheter into the heart and uses a tool to patch the hole. Therefore, patients will avoid major surgery, limit the side effects of anesthesia or run the machine, and help the recovery time will be quick.

Vinmec Central Park Cardiovascular Center is one of the key centers of Vinmec Health System, gaining JCI global certification. In particular, Central Park Cardiovascular Center is the first unit in the country and one of the few hospitals in the world equipped with the most modern hybrid operating room today. Modern surgical techniques at Vinmec can thoroughly patch the ventricular septal defect, avoiding complications, especially those affecting the heart valves. Helping patients recover almost completely normal health, improving the patient's quality of life.
Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital (HCMC) applies a full-service cardiovascular disease treatment model. This is a treatment modality being carried out at leading Cardiovascular Centers in the US and many other developed countries such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Pennsylvania.... Package Cardiovascular Treatment Program (BUNDLE PAYMENT) ) will be applied with one of four techniques: TAVI intervention; Placement of coronary interventional stents; Aortic bypass surgery and ventricular septal surgery.